Exeter City battled to a hard-fought point against promotion rivals Wycombe Wanderers in an even 1-1 draw at St James Park.

City took the lead in the first half when Lloyd James' free-kick looped in, but were pegged back after half-time in a period of Wycombe domination.

The Grecians’ injury problems had eased in the week following their 1-0 loss to Luton and Paul Tisdale named four changes from the side that started at Kenilworth Road, with Pierce Sweeney, Jordan Moore-Taylor, Lee Holmes and Liam McAlinden replacing Kane Wilson, Danny Seaborne, Hiram Boateng and Kyle Edwards. Jordan Storey, who impressed in his first league start the previous week, retained his place.

Wycombe were handed a pre-match blow when Scott Kashket was withdrawn from the squad due to an injury, meaning they were forced to name just six subs.

The game got off to an even start, with both sides having promising attacks that did not lead to shots on goal.

It was City who looked the most likely to open the scoring, however, as they put two or three balls into Wycombe’s box that seemed to cause problems, and they did take the lead in the 12 minute – after Jayden Stockley had been felled by Marcus Bean on the wing, Lloyd James curled in the free-kick towards Sweeney and, although the defender missed it, James’ cross had enough on it to bounce past Scott Brown and into the far corner of the goal.

The visitors were handed another blow shortly after this when Dan Scarr was forced off through injury and replaced by Nathan McGinley, meaning Gareth Ainsworth had just five other players on his bench to call upon if he wanted to change things round as the game wore on.

After the goal, the game continued in an even, hard-fought manner, with City keeping their shape well and pressing Wycombe’s defence in forward areas to put them under pressure, although neither team were creating many chances.

Wycombe produced a couple of dangerous moments around the half-hour mark, with Dominic Gape floating in a cross that Adebayo Akinfenwa failed to meet when under pressure from Moore-Taylor before Tafari Moore whipped in a free-kick that Nathan Tyson did well to meet with his head and turn towards goal, but his effort flew wide.

City were performing well, however, and keeping their visitors surprisingly quiet, with the game developing into a midfield battle – it was the Grecians’ pace on the break that made them look the more dangerous side.

The Grecians almost doubled their lead five minutes before the break when Jayden Stockley flicked on Sweeney’s long throw-in towards the back post, but the lurking Jordan Tillson could not make any contact with the ball before it rolled out of play for a goal kick.

City suffered an injury issue for themselves on the stroke of half-time, when Storey was forced off after sustaining a head injury in an aerial battle with Akinfenwa, meaning Craig Woodman replaced him moments before the break.

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Wycombe had their first real sight of goal two minutes after half-time when Akinfenwa turned a cross towards Paris Cowan-Hall and his shot on the angle was saved by Christy Pym.

City struggled to keep the ball in the opening period of the second half, with Wycombe able to send a number of long balls forward to put the Grecians under pressure, and this paid dividends in the 54 minute when Akinfenwa flicked on a long ball from keeper Brown towards Matthew Bloomfield, breaking into the City box, and his run caused chaos in the Grecians area, with the ball eventually breaking to Marcus Bean to fire into the net from 12 yards.

The midfielder had another sight of goal two minutes later when a cross was cleared to him on the edge of the box and he curled an effort towards goal that Christy Pym did well to hold.

City managed to survive another period of Wycombe pressure and, on the hour mark, started to have more chances of their own again, with Holmes sending in a low free-kick that Sweeney flicked towards goal, only to see Brown get down well to save.

There was a moment of controversy in the 63 minute when Stockley’s flick-on found Holmes, who beat his man and burst into the box – Brown came out to smother at his feet and the winger went down under the keeper’s challenge, sparking penalty appeals, only for referee Stephen Martin to book the City player for diving.

Wycombe almost took the lead two minutes later when a long ball from Brown caught a high City defensive line out, allowing Akinfenwa to flick a header towards goal that looped over Pym but narrowly went over the bar.

The game continued in an even manner, with neither side creating seeing much sight of goal over the next 20 minutes – although the Grecians could make a case of being harshly treated by the referee on one or two occasions during this period.

It was a hard-fought contest that, at this point, was on a knife edge, with both sides battling hard – City introduced Ryan Harley and Kyle Edwards and changed to a 4-5-1 formation, which did help to stem the flow of Wycombe’s attacks.

City were forced back into a 4-4-2 formation with five minutes to go when Sweeney went down injured and, whilst he was quickly reintroduced to the action, he stayed forward, with James filling in at right-back.

James then immediately won a corner from his new position after breaking down the wing and his low cross caused a brief scramble, with the ball eventually breaking to Harley, just inside the box, but his volley was straight at Brown.

Sweeney then turned a Woodman cross well wide as the Grecians appeared to be ending the game on the front foot, but they were unable to create any more chances as the game ended in a draw.

City now make the long trip to Stoke-on-Trent to face Port Vale on Tuesday evening.